Improvement in spark-arresters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUFUS HILL, OF OAMDEN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF I-IIS RIGHT TO ANDREW K. HAY, OF WINSLOVV, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPARK-ARRESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,375, dated June 23, 1874; application [iled April 23, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUs HILL, of the city and county of Camden, in the State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Spark-Arresters, of which the following is a specification The invention relates, in the rst place, to

the combination of a deflecting-plate and screen with the discharging ends of the firelflues, for turning the sparks and cinders to the bottom ofthe smoke-box, to prevent their escape through the smoke-pipe. In the second place it relates to the combination of a striker with said screen, to prevent the filling up of its meshes, and thus providing for the free passage of the smoke through to the smoke-pipe; and in the third place it relates to an injector, connected by means of pipes with the exhaust-pipe of the steam-engine, and with the fire-box, for conveying the spa-rks and cinders which are arrested by the abovementioned check-plate and screen back to the lire-box, as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a locomotiveboiler with the improved spark-arrester in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view of the front end and parts attached.

Like letters of reference in all the ligures indicate the same parts.

A is the boiler-space, having tubes B, in the usual manner. O is the Ere-box, and D the smoke-box. E is a check-plate, which turns the sparks and cinders as they pass out of the tubes I3 downward, to prevent their being carried up by the draft through the smokepipe F. The lower edge of the plate terminates some dist-ance above the lower lire-fines, so as to admit of the free passage of the smoke to the smoke-pipe. G is a screen'of wire-cloth outside of the check-plate, which checks the sparks which pass beneath the check-plate, and would otherwise be carried by the draft through the smoke-pipe, so that only fine dust can pass through the screen. If desired, a perforated plate may be used instead of the screen. As dust and dirt incline to till the meshes ofthe screen, I provide a striker, II, having any desirable number of arms, a, for

loosening t and causing it'to dro i from the D 7 u b u v n screen. It has bearings 1n the vertical side plates of the smoke-box, being free to turn therein as it is moved by the operator, who,

by means of the lever b, causes the arms a to `strike against the screen with only sufficient purpose of creating a return draft to the iirebox, to draw the sparks and cinders back which have been carried forward by the draft through the fire-fines, I use the pipe K, which connects at one end with the. fire-box O, and at its other end with the receptacle L, which is projected downward from the smoke-box D. With the front end of said pipe is combined the hollow valve or injector M in the -hollow guide N, which has connnunication with one of the exhaust-pipes I by means of the bent pipe O, for the supply of exhauststeam which rushes through the pipe K to the lire-box() at each back stroke of the en gine-piston, and draws with it the cinders and sparks to the lire-box to be consumed. rlhe valve M is operated by means of the rocking shaft P, having an arm, d, connecting with the stem of the Valve, and an arm, e, with which is connected a rod or other device leading to the engine, to be operated by the engineer, who thereby controls the fiow of the exhaust-steam through the pipe K. The receptacle L is provided with a hinged bottom, f, for the discharge of cinders, Ste., which may collect therein, and the receptacle L, which collects dust which passes through the screen G, and is not carried up by the draft through the smokepipe, has a like hinged bottom, j", for the removal of the dust.

The combination and arrangement of the parts above described, by effectually arresting the cinders, sparks, and dust, carrying the same back to the fire-box to be consumed, or lodging in the depressions or chambers L and L', supersedes the necessity of the liftpipe used in other spark-arresters.

I claim as my inventionl. The deficctingplate E, in combination biuation wit-l1 the depression or chamber L, with the rc-ues B and screen G, substzmdraft-pipe K, exhaust-pipes I and O, and holtially in the manner and for thcpurpose above 10W guide N, substantially as and for the purdescribcd. pose set forth.

2. The striker H, in combination with the RUFUS HILL. screen G, substantially '1u the manner and for fitnessesz the purpose described. THOMAS J. BEWLEY,

3. The hollow Valve or injector M, in com- 1 STEPHEN USTIGK. 

